Nephele

Augustus Caesar, m'lord, I ride today! And as for yooo-oo, Marcus Larconius Ralla, with your derisive snorts regarding us bellatrices. I refer you to the stirring speech of a woman of Spartacus's army (well, as taken from the Hollywood script, anyways...): "What's wrong with women? Where would you be now, you lout, if some woman hadn't fought all the pains of hell to get you into this accursed world? I can handle a knife in the dark as well as anyone. I can cast spells and brew poisons. I have made the death shrouds for seven Roman masters in my time. You lout!" So there. But, don't worry -- I'm not looking to lead this army. I'm far too subtle in my ways, to lead. -- Nephele EDIT: I thought that name of yours looked a bit odd, Caldrail. Checking back, I see that I gave you "Laronius" -- not "Larconius". M. Laronius Ralla = AKLNLADMRAAOLR -kdo +ius You're related to the Laronius who was an officer of Augustus in the Sicilian war with Sext. Pompey. Hmm... If Augustus Caesar choses you, I wonder if that would be nepotism? -- N

Yah, a donkey's years. (Mustn't forget your long-eared namesake from Flavia Gemina's online game. ) -- Nephele

Hey, Pertinax! Is this why you chose the screen name of "Pertinax" for yourself? Or was it the birthdate that you chose, instead? In any event, birthday hails to you! (You also share the same birthday with the Emperor Claudius -- Aug. 1st, 10 B.C.E.) EDIT: Haha! Fooled me! I thought this topic was about our Pertinax's birthday, coincidentally occurring on the same day as the original Pertinax. -- Nephele

THADDAEVS CAESAR, Salve! No, your Roman name wouldn't be "Robertvs Thaddaevs Obacchvs". The first two wouldn't really pass as a praenomen and nomen gentilicium, although you might get away with that last one as a cognomen (there were thousands of cognomina, and not all of their meanings are known). I like the fact that you devised "Bacchus" out of your surname! In fact, you've inspired me... You are a member of the gens Heronia, which is a rare transcription found and believed to be related to Herennia, a gens of Samnite origin which by a Samnite invasion became established in Campania and, later on, a plebeian house in Rome (See Smith's). Your praenomen is "Titus", abbreviated as "T." Your cognomen is the best of all, consisting of two parts: "Bacchus Beator". This means "Man Who Brings the Blessings of Bacchus, God of Wine". This honorary cognomen/nickname was conferred upon you by your fellow Roman citizens, in recognition of your generosity in providing wine to all during Roman festivals. Your full Roman name is: T. Heronius Bacchus Beator (robertino thaddeus obach -ddo +cus) Welcome to UNRV! -- Nephele

What fun! Uh... *cough* I mean... Sir... What a rousing call to arms! (Nephele wonders whether she may have blown it already, as if being of the feminine persuasion isn't already likely to elicit guffaws of hearty laughter as she purposefully strides into the tablinum of Augustus Caesar. Nephele narrows her eyes and hisses like a cat at the other applicants, daring even ONE of them to so much as smirk.) Honorable Augustus Caesar... Those Gauls... Ohhhh, those Gauls... Well, what can I say? They gall me. I present my history to you, esteemed Augustus Caesar. Stolen in infancy was I. By pirates. By GAULLISH pirates. Robbed I was, of my family name and heritage, as I was forced into servitude -- and bondage! Woo-hoo! (Oh, sorry, not that kind of story...). I know not what my original Patrician gens might have been -- having been given the Greek slave name of "Nephele". The Greek language and culture was an affectation of my Gaullish master. He was such a pretentious Guppie. ("Gaullish Urban Professional"). Ohhh, my anger still burns hot on account of the insults I have suffered at the hands of those Gauls. I assure you, m'lord, I am a most belligerent bellatrix. Grrr! As for my usefulness in battle... Well, what I lack in manly upper-arm strength, I more than make up for in feminine deviousness and craft. I can spy for you, and also easily slip into an enemy leader's tent and doctor his wine or supper with poison. I know these Gauls well, from having too many of my years stolen from me as their prisoner. My loyalty to Rome and to my commander is fierce -- Rome I was stolen from by the Gauls, but Rome is my home! I humbly (well, okay, not too humbly) petition you to sign me on! -- Nephele

Nottingham Rob, you are now "Nottingham Rex," as your cognomen of Rex suggests that your ancestors were of kingly demeanor. (Or, it may be that you acquired that particular cognomen as a nickname, to suggest that you have somewhat of an imperious nature.) Your nomen gentilicium of Trebius shows that you belong to a noble line, sharing the same gens with M. Trebius Gallus (one of Caesar's officers in Gaul in 58 B.C.E.), Trebius Sergianus (consul under Hadrian in 132 C.E.), and Trebius Niger (who wrote a work on natural history that was referred to by Pliny). Your praenomen is "Aulus", abbreviated as "A." Your full Roman name is: A. Trebius Rex (reermtaxoby -moy +ius) Welcome to UNRV! -- Nephele

What about his sense of history, though? If the movie follows the novel, than Fast either ignored or embellished several things: Spartacus was not born into a life of slavery, but attained it after deserting the Roman armies Spartacus was not crucified, but presumed dead in battle. Spartacus was not an idealist, merely a capable brigand The Gracchi were dead by this time The Gracchi served as Tribunes, not Senators Crassus was not an arch conservative Caesar could not have commanded the Urban Cohors, as they did not exist until Augustus Pompei did not participate in the major battle that defeated Spartacus, he merely mopped up some survivors Well, I'm still reading the novel but, so far, it's made pretty clear that Spartacus, rather than having been crucified, was thought to have been "cut to pieces" during battle. (The story is told in flashback, and actually begins with the sight of thousands of crucified slaves lining the Appian Way.) General Crassus says of Spartacus in battle: "He must have killed at least ten or eleven men in that last wild rush of his, and he wasn't stopped until we cut him to pieces." The character Caius asks: "Then it's true that his body was never found?" Crassus replies: "That's right. He was cut to pieces, and there was just nothing left to find. Do you know how a battlefield is? There is meat and blood, and whose meat and whose blood, it is very hard to say." As for the Gracchi being dead by this time... There is a character in the novel named Gracchus ("...a big man with a deep booming voice, his head sunk in collars of fat, his huge hands fat and puffy, with rings on almost every finger."). But there's also a reference made to the famous Gracchi brothers of earlier times ("...she was the very picture of a Roman matron, comely and calm and dignified; and if she had not been so obviously and childishly posed, she would have quite naturally recalled to Caius every painting of the mother of the Gracchi he had ever seen."). I'll let you know how else the novel compares with the movie, as I read on. -- Nephele

I think it was because Ben-Hur, whose title character was a Jewish noble, came out the year previous to Spartacus. Everything I've read about the movie suggests Douglas was mad he lost the title role in Ben-Hur to Heston, and he made Spartacus as his little revenge. So, to place as much distance between Ben-Hur and Spartacus as possible, the Jewish character was probably cut. Also, I have no idea what the Jewish character was like, but Curtis' educated Greek slave did provide a nice foil to Douglas' illiterate character. Ah, that makes sense. Thanks! What with author Howard Fast having himself been a Jew, and under suspicion during the McCarthy era, I was wondering whether the deletion of the novel's Jewish character in the translation of the novel to the screen might have had some darker purpose behind it. I really am enjoying the novel Spartacus that I'm reading right now. Fast appears to have done quite a bit of research into Roman food and dining, military dress, travel on the Appian Way, etc., and his vivid descriptiveness in his novel is a real treat for the senses. The only area in which Fast's research appears (thus far in my reading of his novel) to be appallingly lacking, is in his construction of Roman names. He doesn't seem to have had the faintest grasp of praenomina, nomina gentilicia, and cognomina, as he uses them interchangeably. One of his characters has the implausible name of "Gaius Marcus Senvius", another is named "Antonius Caius" -- and a woman is named "Claudia Marius"! Have to say, that's bugging me. -- Nephele the Nomenclature Nut

Really?? Who gets the credit for him then? Search me. In the novel, Spartacus has a Jewish friend named David. I'm getting paranoid thinking: "Why did they cut the Jew from the movie?" -- Nephele

I'm currently reading Howard Fast's original novel, and finding it much better than the moobie. Fast's descriptiveness is deliciously sensual. And... Tony Curtis's character of Antoninus appears to be absent from the novel. -- Nephele

I'm Spartacus -- Nephele

http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?showto...&hl=procula -- Nephele

Haha XD this is too funny. It also made me think of Bailey's BBC news theme tune http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lwVhkO_0A8 Bill Bailey is a GENIUS. But your clip missed out the bit he does in the beginning about America's CBS Evening News theme. Check out how the Yanks compare with the Brits: Dueling News Themes The BBC is hardcore, baby. Hahahaha! -- Nephele

I haven't been keeping up with the show since Sylvester McCoy (who once chivalrously defended me against an obnoxious so-and-so in a Chicago hotel bar at a science fiction convention. Doctor #7, my hero -- for real!) -- Nephele

I know I'm coming in late on this thread, but I found something that supports what Gaius Paulinus Maximus and Primus Pilus here have already written about Domitian being addressed as "Caesar" prior to becoming emperor. In the Spring 1964 journal of the Classical Association of Canada (Phoenix), historian and author K.H. Waters wrote in his article "The Character of Domitian": Also, Tacitus, in Book IV of his Histories, wrote: "Domitian had entered into possession of the title and residence of Caesar, but not yet applying himself to business, was playing the part of a son of the throne with debauchery and intrigue... Then, on the resignation of Frontinus, Caesar Domitian assumed the office of praetor of the city." (Translated by Alfred John Church and William Jackson Brodribb.) As for where Caesar Domitian stood with his brother in the year 80... Flavia, I think you can safely rule out "Imperator" as one of his titles while his brother was still alive. Mark P. O. Morford wrote the following in an article ("The Training of Three Roman Emperors") for the Spring 1968 issue of Phoenix: -- Nephele

Flavia Gemina was in Libya last year, doing research for one of her books. Flavia -- did you have any scary experiences there? Were you given any warnings before going, regarding what you should or should not do or say while there? -- Nephele

I'm still trying to figure out the "charm" behind the lawn sheep craze of a few years back. Thankfully, that appears to be dying out now. If garden gnomes (as Pertinax suggested) sublimate repressed sexuality, I shudder to think what some homeowners might have been doing to their lawn sheep. Freaks. -- Nephele

How could I have missed this band?? Thanks for those links! Okay, here's one for you. Dunno if you're familiar with Kraftwerk. But, if you are, you may find this as funny as I did: Kraftwerk (Not Really) -- Nephele

What a great chart! Asclepiades, can you link to an enlarged image of this? -- Nephele

DoL, your kiddie pic is a cutie! Vercingetorix, a lot of us here missed the Hippie Era. But don't worry, because here's your hippie identity: Kalsen SomerMajyk And now, see why your parents warned you about hippification: Bollywood Hippie Freakout If this guy doesn't scare the bejeezus out of you, then he'll make you want to get up and DANCE! DANCE! DANCE! Wheee! -- Nephele P.S. For anyone else here who wants to be hippified with an anagrammed hippie identity, you can use this anagramming tool to scramble your name for privacy, before you give it to me: Scramble Me!

Whoa. That's my kind of surrealism. And strangely sexy, too. -- Nephele

I found your original scramble, GPM, and have hippified you. You are now: Ivan Angelfyre Hey man, welcome to the Summer of Love! -- Nephele

Ah, I see you read my article on Roman naming practices! I'm looking forward to doing your name, Spelta, as I don't get too many opportunities to blanagram feminine Roman names. If you're still having trouble with that scrambling link I provided, you may want to try scrambling your name by hand. Just be count all the letters before and after, to make sure you haven't left one out after scrambling. -- Nephele

Send a private message to Moonlapse. He can change screen names. -- Nephele

Birthday hails to you, Ingsoc! May you have wine, music, and plenty of dancing slave girls! -- Nephele